System of control.



R. E. HELLMUND. 1

SYSTEM OF CONTROL.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 4, 1916.

1,266,592. Patented May 21,1918.

iwaund I d lnl I #4 R4 191?] INVENTOR ,TATTORNEY l I To all whomritconcern:

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Be it known that I, RUDoLr E. HELL- MUND, a subject of the Emperor oferiany, and a residentof ounty of Allegheny and nia, have invented ainewand use the following is a specification.

' My'invention. relates to systems of control control of and especiallyto the automatic v electric railway. vehicles and the like. that areadapted to regenerative operation.

4 of my invention to "One object of my lnvention is to provide a systemof the ing a-uniform rate-of deceleration of momentum-drivendynamo-electric machines. More specifically stated, it is an ob ect ofthe motor type or automatically gov.-

erning the "operation of dynamo-electric machines during theregenerative period in particular themagnetic circuit of the re- Laydevice, in accordance with one modificanoid type and to tion,being'initially saturated to a-predetermined greater'degree thanthe'magnetic' eircuit of the main machine or machines, and the twomagnetic circuits in question being subsequently saturated tosubstantially the same. degree, whereby the initial rate of decelerationis less than' the subsequent rate.

A further object of my invention is to of control for a locomotiveprovidea system or motor-car embodying .relatively s mple and reliablemeans for enabling the train operator to vary the rate of accelerationor J v reference to the accompanylng drawings,

deceleration in accordance withthe weight of trainto be handled. y

In the prior art, in order to obtain uniform deceleration ofdynamo-electric machine, it has been proposed to employ a limit'switchof the soleof the actuating coils of the device at differ.- ent timesduring the regenerative period, 'as set forth in a copending applicationof R. E. Hellmund and N..W. Storer, Serial No. 77,428, filed Feb. 10,1916, and assigned to the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company.It is explained in that applica -Pitt'sburgh,.in the State of-Pennsylfful Im-J provement in Systems of Control, 'ofjwhich p vide aflower-rateof deceleration than durabove-indicated character wherein novel-means isemployed for efiectrovide a relay device;

celeration for any a momentum driven adjust the active values spondingto isle. Serial no; 82,094.

' fl'tiOI'l that, in order to avoid excessive armature" currents andconsequent excessive heating of the machine, as well as .to avoid an;undeslrably high ratio ofarmature ampereturns .tofield-windingampere-tui'ns and 'resultant ;l1a,b1lity to flash-overconditions, in some cases'it is desirable to initiallyproing the auerportion. of} the regenerative Period. Y

According present inventiomI promain field win ingduring regenerativeoperation, and I provide regulating. means 1n connection withthe-relaydevice for either manually. or automatically varying the en;

. .videa relay-device of. theimotor type hav I 1ng its armature andfield winding 'respec+-'-itivelyenergizedin accordance with the cur-3rents traversin the main armature and theergization'of the relaydeviceelements, when the-'machinesto be governed are subject to flash-overtroubles under initial regenerzitiveconditionsfln such manner that the;

magnetic circuit of the relay device is initially saturated to apredetermined greater degree thanthe magnetic circuit of the mainmachineor machines and is subsequently. 1 saturated to substantially thesamedegree,

thereby permitting an initial rate of dedesired length of time that isless than the deceleratingrate during the remainder of the regenerativeriod. Moreover, the-rate of automatic train accelerat on or decelerationmay be-varied at the-will of the train operator, as herein-- after morefully set forth. v

My; invention may best be understood by to; which is applieda system ofintercom.

nections with my relay device; Fig. 2 1s a diagrammatic view of theauxiliary governing circuits for various switches that are shown in-Fig. 1 and are governed in accordance w th the. operation of the relayde V1063 Fig. 3 1s a dlagrammatic view, correployed in the system ofFig. 1.

Fig. 2, of a modification of my one method of operation, at

tor 10. AS the main-machine speed decreases translating device switchesl, 5 and 6 areoinltially closed to fromrcircuit. Moreover, in accordancewith first the switches open, whereby the entire 1, 2 and 3 are 9 isactive, while the completel short-circuit the auxiliary! resisduring theregenerative period, the switches 1, 2 and 3 are successively closed,thereby gradually decreasing the efi'ective voltage that is impressedupon the relay device armature RA; whereas 1 are gradually openedtodecrease the effec- -tive energize-tion of the relay device fieldwinding RF from 1. Inasmuch as the torque of .a dynamoelectric machineis PI'OPOI'tlOIlfll to the prodplained more 'fully hereinafter, which isdesirable when the momentum-driven main machine is initially liable toHash-over trouble.

machines is such'that initially, that is, be-

' fore the manipulation of the switches 1 to I 6, inclusive, from theillustrated positions,

the magnetic circuit of the relay device is saturated to a predeterminedgreater degree than -'the magnetic circuitof the main machines whereas,upon the manipulation of the switches 1 to 6, inclusive, the degree ofsaturation decreases to a point where it sub.-

stant'ially'equals the degree of saturation of the main machines. 1Thus, durin the latter eration.

portion ofthe'regenerative perio' the relay device governs circuitresistors FRl and FR2 tomaintain a substantially uniform rate ofdeceleration of the main machines,

the relatively vreat saturation of the magnetic is such as to produce arelatively consequently,

It will be understood, that, when the relay device magnetic circuit issaturated to the same degree as the main machine magnetic circuit, thedevice will operate to maintain a substantially constant torque of themain becomes more machines, but when the relaydevice, by .reason of itsdifferent magnetic characteristics, highly saturated than the fieldcurrent 'is necessary to obtain action of the device, and, as a result,the main machine current is allowed the switches 4, v5 and 6 the mainfield winding the-operation of the mainwhereas, initially, the--operation of the relaydevice,'by rea'sonof the .device lags inits-action,

to decrease to lower, values before the delvice moves the controlleforward. Thus,

Referring to Fig. the auxiliary governing system shown comprises thecomplete relay device RD; the actuating coils of the switches R1" toRR6',-inclusive, and a suitablevsource of energy,'s.uch as a battery B,

for energizing. the various actuating coils in accordance with theposition of the control drum D1, which is adapted tooccupy a pluralityof operative positions a to f, in-

clusive.

' -Assuming that the circuit connections are as shown-in Fig. l and thatregeneration has been started in any suitable manner, the operation ofthe relay device RD may be set forth as follows: When the regeneratedcurrent has decreased a slight amount that corresponds to the setting ofthe relay device, the torque ofthe device is temporarily overcome by theweight W or its equivalent,- whereby the control its initial operativeposition a, whereupon, a

Y control circuit is established from one ter- The design of parts oftherelay devlce RD with respect to the main dynamo-electric m'inal ofthe battery B through conductor 20, control finger 21, contact segment22, and control fingers 23 and 24 of the drum controller, whencecircuits are respectively completed through conductors 25 and 2.6 to theactuatin coils of the switches R1 and R111 and'con uctor 27 which isconnected to the negative battery terminal.

Consequently, the switches R1 and BB1 are closed to short-circuitpredetermined portions of the main resistors F31 and F112, whereby thetorque of the relay device RD drum D1 is actuated to again risestemporarily to a sufiicient value Y to overcome the action of the weightW and thus hold the controller D1. 'in position a. It will be understoodthat suitable positionaccentuatingmeans, such asthe customary star-wheeland spring-pressed pawl, are preferably employed in connection with thecontroller Dltoaid in stopping the drum in the proper positions.However, as will be appreciated, the current soon decreases to thecritical value, whereupon the weight W again actuates the controller D1in opposition to the relay-device torque to the second position b,'wherein control fingers 28 and 29 engage the contact segment 22, andthe actuating coils R2 and BB2 are energized to effect the short-circuitof further portions ofthe resistors FRl and FIR-2. Without furtherdescription, it will be understood that the control drum D1 isintermittently actuated through its successive p o sitions to thusgradually efi'ect the exclusion of the resistors FRl and FR2 fromcircuit.

During the above-mentioned operation of the control drum R 131, theswitches 1, 2 and 3 may be manually manipulated to thus.

gradually short-circuit portions of the transdating device 9, while theswitches 4;, 5 and 6 aybe successively'opened to gradually inc udethe-auxiliary resistor 10 in circuit, for thefregulatin purposeshereinbefore set forth. It shoul be observed that the switches 1 to 6,inclusive, maybe operated from a master controller, or otherwise, to,

vary the initial and subsequent rates'of deceleration as the trainoperator sees fit, m-

stead of first having the switches in-the illustrated positions, thuspermitting an adjustmentof the relay device RD to meet various serviceconditions; for instance, handling difi'rent loads by a locomotive.

If desired, instead of manually manipu-, lating the switches 1 to.6,inclusive, at the will of the train-operator, such switches may be ofthe same type as the switches R1 to Y RR6, inclusive, and, in that case,may be. automatically controlled by the relaytdev ce. 1 RD and suitablyinterlocked with the reslstor short-circuitin'g switches to operate atthe desired times. 1 Such a system is illustrated in Fig. 3, wherein'thecircuits shown comprise, in addition tothose that are illus trated inFig. 2, a plurality of actuating coils for switches'll to 16, inclusive,that respectively correspond to switches 1 to6, 1n-

' elusive, of Fig. 1, together with certain elec- 12out and Ri out andthe actuating coil' trical lnterlocks that areassociated with,

and adapted to be actuated by, the respectively designated switches inaccordance with the familiar type of construction that is illustrated inFig. 4, and additionalcon-f tact members of a drum controller D2 thatcorresponds to the drum controller D1.

Assuming that the main-circmt connecregenerative operation has beeninaugurated, the control drum D2 will be. moved to its initial,operative position a in a similar manner to that set forth in connectionwith Fig. 2. However, in the ofi? position ofthe control drum, a circuitis established from the maln mach1ne during a predetermined operatingper od, and means governed by I 115 battery through conductor 20,control fingers 21 and 29, which are-bridged by contact segment 22,conductor 30 and three parallel-related circuits respectively com-'prising interlocks 11out and R3 out and the actuating coil ofswitch. 14,lnterlocks of the switch 15 and interlocks 13out and 16, whence a commoncircuit is completed through the negative conductor 27. The auxiliaryresistor 10 isthus initially shortcircuited, as previously described inconnection' with Fig. 1. On the other hand, 'the actuating coils of theswitches 11, 12 and 13 are not energized by reason of the inclusion intheir respective circuits of interlocks R3 in, R 1-in and R5in.

The various pairs of actuating coils of the resistor short-circuitingswitches are again energized: in accordance with the oper ation of'thecontrol drum, and, in addition, after the initialp'eriod of relativelylow-f rate deceleration and, when the switch R3 hasbeen closed, a'circuit is completed from the conductor 30 through conductor-31, in-

,terlock R3 -in and the actuating coil of the switch 11 to the negativeconductor 27. Upon the subsequent closure of switches R4 and R5, byreason ofthe above-described intermittent. operationof the control drumf D2, the actuating coils of the switches 12 a and 13 are respectivelyenergized by reason of-the inclusion of lnterlocks R 1-1n 'and R5in intheir respective circi.1its,-thereby Y successively closing the switches12 and 13 to short circuit further sections of the resistor9.

- As the switches 11, '12 and 13 or astheswitches R3,-R4. and R5 areclosed, the circuits of the actuating coils of the switches 14:, 15 and16 are respectivelyop'ened by the i corresponding interlocks, therebygradually inserting the auxiliary resistor 10 in circuit for the purposealready explained.

The operation of the switches 11 to 16, inclusi.ve,'is' thus madeautomatically dependent upon the operation of the relay device RD. andthe consequent closure of certain reslstor short-clrcuiting swltches.

I do not wish to 'be restricted to the spe- "cific circuit connectionsor location and arrangement of parts herein set forth, as variousmodifications thereof may be effected withoutdepartingfrom the spiritand scope of my invention. I desire, therefore, that onlysuchvlimitations shall be imposed as are indicated inthe appendedclaims.

I claim as my invention: 1. Ina system of control, the combinatlon witha main dynamo-electric machine having an armature and afield winding, ofa motor-type relay devicehaving its mag netic circuit saturated tosubstantially the same degree as the magnetic circuit of the said relaydevice for varying the main-machine circuit-resistance, whereby asubstantially constant rate of change of main-machine speed is obtained.

2. In a system of control, the combination -with a main dynamo-electricmachine havwhereby a substantially adapted for regenerative operation,of a motor type relay device having its magnetlccircuit saturated to apredetennined greater.

' by said relay-device for decreasing the main- 1 ing an armature and amotor-type relay device, and means or eat deceleration of main-machinespeed is automatically obtained.

3. In a system of control, the combinationwith a main dynamo-electr c machlne having an armature and Ya field 'winding, of a motor-type relaydevice'having its magnetic circuit saturated to a predetermined-greaterdegreethan the magnetic circuits of the main machine during apredetermined operating period, and means governed by said relay devicefor varying the main-machine circuit connections.

4. In a system of controlythe combina:

tion with a main dynamo-electric jmachine having an armature and a fieldwind ng and degree than the magnetlc c rcuit ofthe main machines duringa predetermined portion of the regenerative period, and means governed;

machine circuit-resistance. f' e 5'. In a system of control, thecombination with a main dynamo-electric machine havfield windin of amating the magnetic circuit thereof'to a pretor-type relay dev1ce, meansor saturating determined greater degree than, and to substantially thesame degree as, the magnetic circuit ofthe main machine during differentportions, of the-operatingperiod thereof.

6. In. a systemtof control, the combination i with a maindynamo-electric machine having an armature and a field winding-andadapted for regenerative operation, of amothereof .to a prede themagnetic circuit and'to subtermined greater degree than,

stantially the same degree as, themagnetic' circuit of the main machineduring a certain initial and the subsequent portions of the regenerativeperiod, respectively, and means overned by said relay device for varyingt e main-machine circuit-resistance,"where by theinitial rate ofmain-machine decelera-g' tion is" less than the subsequent rate:

7. In a system of control, thecombination with a main dynamo-electricinachine'hawindg an armature and a fieldi winding and a a pted jforregenerative operation, of a motor-type relay. device having itswindings respectively energized in accordance with the main armaturecurrent and .the' main field-winding "currents, and means for saturatingthe magnetic circuit of-said relay tie-4 vice to substantially the samedegree as the A,

' magnetic circuit of the main machine during a, predetermined portionvof theregenerative period f 8. In a system of control, the combin'ationv with a main-dynamo-electric machine having an armature and a fieldwinding and adapted for'regenerative operation, ofa motortyperelaydevice-having an armature and. a

jc'ordan'ce.

1mg respectivelyfenergiz'ed lating device and said main fieldwinding,'=ig I I device for de- 1 0. creasing the main naachinecircuit-resistance resistor connected resistor, and thee field windingrespectively energized in accordance with the currents traversing themain armature and the main field winding,

respectively, and means for saturating the magnetic circult ofjsaidrelay device to a 7-0 predetermined greater degree than the magneticcircuit of the main machine during a predetermined portion of theregenerative riod. 9. Ina system of control,'the combination with a maindynamo-electricmachine having an armature and a field windingand adapti7 ed for regenerative operation, of a motor-f device having an armatureand a e d winding respectively energizedin 210- so 'th the currentstraversing the respectively, f and means -for' saturating the magneticcircuit ofs'aid relay device, toa predetermined greater degree than, andto"8'5.1 substantiallyf'the same degree'as', the 'magnetic circuit ofthe main machine during a L. 'J certain initial and the subsequentportions of the regenerative period, respectively, and

means governed by said relay device for varying the main-.machihecircuit-resistance, i' whereby the initial rate offmainlmachine vdeceleration is less than the subsequent rate. I

respectively, meansfgoverned b device for varying the main-mac inecircuita resistance as the machine speed decreases,

ture and fieldwindings to correspondingly decrease'the e-fi'ec'tivetorque of the relay deviceand'increase'the rate-ofdeceleration ofp e.11. In a'system ofcontrol,theicombination.1 v with amain-'dynamo-electric machine having an armature-and a. field windingand adapted for regenerative operation, .of a

the main machine."

translating device connected in from said trans v 7 means governed-by-.-said;-rela as the machine'spee decreases, an auxiliary device.fieldwin g, increasing the activ value of said translating device as'ithmachine speed demastswnerebythe rate of main-machine 'decelerationi s xthe subsequent rate.

0- In a system 'of control, the combination with a main'dynamo-electricmachinehaving, an armature and a field winding and adapt; ed forregenerative operation,-' of a motor-=- f type relay device having anarmature and a field winding respectively energized in ac;

"cordance with the-currents traversing the-10c gmain armature and themain field winding,

said relay mam' armature'and the main fieldwinding, j i" .and means, forgradually varying the effective energization of the relay devicearmaseries rem-1115"" tion withisaid armature, a 'm wp relay, 1 device vg armature and a field wind-"*1 llihjfltlie. i"

12. In a system of control, the combination with a main dynamo-electricmachlne having an armature and a field winding and adapted forregenerative operation, of a translating device connected in seriesrelation with said armature, a motor-type relay device having anarmature and a field winding respectively energized fronrsaidtranslating device and said main field Winding, means governed by saidrelay device for decreasing the main machine circuit resistance as themachine speed decreases, an auxiliary resistor connected in circuit withthe relaydevice field winding, the magnetic circuit of the relay devicebeing initially saturated to a predetermined greater degree than themagnetic circuit of the main machine, means for gradually increasing theactive value of said auxiliary resistor and means for decreasing theactive value of said translating device as the main machine speeddecreases to efiect saturation of said magnetic circuits tosubstantially the same degree, whereby the initial rate of main machinedeceleration is less than the subsequent rate.

13. In a system of control, the combination with a main dynamo-electricmachine having an armature and a field Winding and adapted forregenerative operation, of a motor-type relay device having itsoperating windings respectively energized in accordance with thecurrents traversing the main armature and the main field winding, avariable main-circuit resistor, a plurality of switches for excludingpredetermined sections of saidresistor from circuit, means governed bysaid relay device for closing said switches in a predetermined sequence,switching means for varying the effective energizations of therelay-device operating windings, and interlocking me zans automaticallydependent upon the movement of said switches for insuring predeterminedoperation of said switching means.

14. In a system of control, the combination with a main dynamo-electricmachine having an armature and a field winding and adapted forregenerative operation, of a translating device connected in series relation with said armature, a motor-type relay device having an armatureand a field winding respectively energized from said translating deviceand said main field winding. an auxiliary resistor connected in circuitwith the relay-device field winding, a

' variable main-circuit resistor, a plurality of switches for excludingpredetermined sections of said resistor from circuit, means governed bysaid relay device for closing said switches in a predetermined sequence,interlocking means dependent upon the successive closure of certain ofsaid switches for gradually decreasing the active value of saidtranslating device. and interlocking means dependent upon said gradualdecrease relation to the saturation of the main-mar chine magneticcircuit, and means governed by said relay device for changing themainmachine circuit connections to obtain predetermined operating torqueconditions in the main machine.

16. In a system of control, the combination with a dynamo-electricmachine having an armature and a field winding, of a motortype relaydevice having the circuits of its operating windings'respecti elyenergized in accordance with the currents traversing the main armatureand field Winding, means governed by said relay device for effectingchanges in the main-machine circuits, and means for varying theeffective voltages impressed -upon said operating windings to varythe-rate of said changes.

17. In a system of control, the combination with a dynamo-electricmachine having an armature and a field winding, of a motor-type relaydevice having its armature and field-Winding circuits respectivelyenergized in accordance with the currents traversing the main armatureand field Winding, means governed by said relay device for automaticallyefiecting changes in the main machine connections, and means for varyingthe resistances of said relay-device circuits to vary the rate of said.changes, whereby the rate of acceleration or deceleration of the mainmachine maybe varied.

18. In a system of control, the combinati on with a dynamo-electricmachine having an armature and a field winding,-of a relay device havinga plurality of operating Windings respectively energized in accordancewith predetermined armature and fieldwinding' conditions, means governedby said relay device for effecting changes in the machine circuits, andseparate means for influencing the effective voltages impressed uponsaid operating windings.

19. In a system of control, the combination with a dynamo-electricmachine having an armature and a field Winding, of a relay influencingone of the operating-Winding device having a plurality of operatingWindcircuitsof said relay device under predeings respectively energizedin accordance termined conditions. 10 with predetermined armature andfield- In testimony whereof, I have hereunto 5 winding conditions, meansgovernecl by said subscribed my name this 28th day Of Feb. relay devicefor effecting changes in the ma- 1916. chine circuits, and means forindependently RUDOLF HELLMUND.

